Effects of Negative
Ions

Researchers
believe that through control of the electrical charges in the air we
breathe,
our moods, energy level, and health can be markedly improved!

Today, our modern
homes and offices seal out negative ions. Computer terminals, fluorescent lighting, forced
air ventilation systems, and modern building materials generate an over abundance of
positive ions. Positive ions make us feel tired, depressed and irritable.

Balancing the ionization in your
home may help to combat the ill feelings associated with our stressful lifestyles. The
worlds most tranquil and refreshing regions are loaded with billions of negative ions. Air
near waterfalls, mountains, beaches and forests are among those places where ionization
levels are in complete and natural balance.

After a lightning storm, most of
us feel invigorated and refreshed. This is because the electrical storm has generated
trillions of gloriously tranquilizing negative ions that ease tension and leave us full of
energy.

Studies at Columbia University and
the New York State Psychiatric Institute have demonstrated that High Density Negative
Ionizers appear to act as a specific antidepressant for patients with seasonal affective
disorder (SAD).

Remarkable as it may seem, a room
charged with negative ions was shown to stem bacteria growth and precipitate many airborne
contaminants including pollen, dust and dust mites, viruses, second-hand cigarette smoke,
animal dander, odors and toxic chemical fumes.

A US Department of Agricultural study on chicken hatcheries documented how a 6 pin negative ion generator helped remove 92.2% of dust and
airborne salmonella.

How Negative Ions Purify the Air:

Virtually all
particles in the air have a positive charge, while negative ions have a
negative charge. In which case, negative ions and particles magnetically
attract to one another. When there is a high enough concentration of
negative ions in the air, they will attract to floating particles in large
numbers. This causes the particle to become too heavy to remain airborne.
As a result, the particle will fall out of the air, preventing it from being
inhaled into the respiratory tract where it can trigger breathing and health
problems.

The ionized
particle will then be collected by normal cleaning activities, such as
vacuuming or dusting. If the particle happens to be kicked back up into the
air again, it will be ionized, and quickly settled out of the air once again.

In nature,
negative ions are generated by processes such as sunlight, lightening, waves
from the ocean, and from waterfalls. "Concrete Jungles" minimize the
natural production of negative ions by disrupting the delicate electrical
balance between the atmosphere and the earth. The XJ-2100 recreates them with
electrode pins ("needlepoints") to electrically produce negative
ions. This method produces a density that is many times higher than the
negative ion level found at Niagara Falls, the highest natural producer of
negative ions and one of the healthiest environments in the world.

Studies Proving the Effectiveness of Negative
Ions

Negative ions help
prevent respiratory-related illnesses.In
a study conducted in a Swiss textile mill, negative ionizers were placed in
two, 60’ by 60’ rooms, each containing 22 employees. In one room, the
negative ion electronic air cleaner was turned on during the course of
the study. In the other room, the negative ion air purifier was
permanently turned off, although the employees in this room were led to
believe they were working in a room enriched by negative ions. During this
six-month study, a total of 22 sick days were lost by employees working
in the room in which the negative ionizer was operating. In the room where the
machine was not operating, a total of 64 days were lost to sickness.
During a month-long flu epidemic, the first group lost a total of 3 days
to sickness, while the second group lost a total of 40 days to sickness
(Stark, 1971).

In a test
involving a Swiss bank office, one group of 309 worked in a negative
ion-treated environment. A second group of 362 worked in an untreated
environment. Over the next several months, for every day lost to
respiratory illness (cold, flu, laryngitis, etc.) in group one, 16 days
were lost to respiratory illness in group two (Soyka, 1991).

In a Surrey
University study at the Norwich Union Insurance Group headquarters, eight
negative ion generators were placed in the computer and data
preparation section. Before the test, the research team spent a month
compiling incident rates for complaints of sickness and headaches. During the
test in which the negative ion air purification systems were in
operation, incidents of sickness and headaches were reduced by 78%.
After testing was completed, the Norwich Union opted to keep the negative
ion electronic air cleaners(Soyka, 1991).

Negative ions counteract
the effects of smoking.High levels of
negative ions neutralize the effect that tobacco smoke has on the cilia. Cilia
are the microscopic hairs located in the trachea that move rapidly back and
forth to prevent pollutants and toxins from traveling into the vulnerable
areas of the respiratory tract. The faster the cilia move, the more effective
they are. However, tobacco smoke slows down the ciliary beat, diminishing the
body’s ability to keep cancer-causing pollutants from entering the depths of
the respiratory tract. Tests have shown though, that adding high levels of
negative ions to the air accelerates the ciliary beat to normal levels(Soyka, 1991).

Negative ions are a
natural anti-depressant.. . . and without the side
effects!
In a study conducted by Columbia University, 25 people with SAD (Seasonal
Affective Depression) sat in front of a negative ion air purifier
for a half hour every morning for a month. Half the subjects were given a low
level of negative ions, and the other half a high level. The higher level of
negative ion treatment proved to be as effective against SAD as
antidepressants, such as Prozac and Zolof, and without the side effects of
these drugs (Finley, 1996).

Negative ions for a positive
attitude
Positive ions, which are found in abundance in most indoor environments, cause
an overproduction of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps the
body deal with mental, emotional, and physiological stress. An overproduction
initially causes hyperactivity, which rapidly leads to anxiety, and in some
cases depression. Negative ion treatment has proven to be successful in
reducing the overproduction of serotonin, and
therefore successful in alleviating depression in some cases (Kreuger,
1957).

Negative Ions help us to
sleep better.In 1969, French
researcher found that the overproduction of the neurohormone serotonin caused
sleeplessness and nightmares. In using a negative ion electronic
air cleaner to treat a group of people experiencing sleeping
problems as a result of serotonin overproduction, he found that most of them
were able to sleep better (Soyka, 1991).

U.S. Dept. of AgricultureA recent study by the U.S.
Dept. of Agriculture found that ionizing a room led to 52% less dust in the
air, and 95% less bacteria in the air (since many of the pollutants found
in the air reside on floating dust particles).

The U.S.D.A. also performed
another study to test the effectiveness of negative ionization at removing
airborne Salmonella Enteritidis. The negative ions drastically reduced
the airborne salmonella particles, prompting the following statement from the
USDA:

"These results indicate
that negative air ionization can have a significant impact on the airborne
microbial load in a poultry house and at least a portion of this effect is
through direct killing of the organisms." (Summary
of Study from USDA Website)

Good Housekeeping MagazineIn March of 1999, Good
Housekeeping Magazine had its engineers test an ionizer by using a smoke
test, and found that it cleared out the smoke in a tank.

Agriculture Research Service (of USDA)The Agriculture Research
Service of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture tested the effectiveness of
ionizers for removing dust in a poultry hatchery. The dust level is very high in
such an environment. In this study, the use of an ionizer resulted in dust
removal efficiencies that averaged between 81.1 and 92.2%. The
airborne transmission of salmonella (to the eggs) was also significantly reduced
as a result. (Summary
of ARS Study)

Journal of HygieneScientists showed that
ionization reduced bacterial levels in burns and plastic surgery units by over
96% after a two week period, which results in much better and more rapid
healing of patients.

Journal of Applied MicrobiologyThe use of negative ions
was even found by scientists to reduce the presence of airborne viruses
by about 40%. A study featured in the 1987 issue also showed the negative ions
are free from any adverse side effects.

ScienceA 1976 study featured in
this publication provided evidence that negative ions can have a biologically
lethal effect on airborne microorganisms.

Journal of HygieneA 1979 study found that
using negative ionization in the air protected chickens from airborne infection
of the deadly Newcastle Disease Virus.

Journal of Food ProtectionA 2001 study found that
airborne negative ionization was highly effective at destroying airborne and
surface salmonella.

University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Romania)A test on male rats showed
that just moderate levels of negative ions increased the resistance of the rats,
reducing or eliminating the effect of some chemicals. (Summary
of Study)

Effect of Negative Ions on DriversA study by Toyota Central R
& D Labs, Inc. found that negative ions can improve fatigue and cognition of
drivers.